Friday, May 25, 2012

Love is what we are born with. Fear is what we learn. The spiritual journey is the unlearning of fear and prejudices and the acceptance of love back in our hearts. Love is the essential reality and our purpose on earth. To be consciously aware of it, to experience love in ourselves and others, is the meaning of life. Meaning does not lie in things. Meaning lies in us. ~ Marianne Williamson

Thursday, May 24, 2012

I was back at Agave-High Street recently and got this chilled Taco Salad for dinner. It has crisp greens topped with with pico de gallo, black beans, corn, Mexican cheese, olives, sour cream and grilled chicken. Served in crispy tortilla bowl with sweet honey vinaigrette dressing.

Friday, May 18, 2012

At the end of the day, we all need to remember to keep going. But just making it another day doesn't get us where we truly want to be. We must stay focused on what we aspire for, continue to dream but act on our passions.

"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes "Awww!" "

Thursday, May 17, 2012

After a long day spent with doctors (nothing serious, just the annual physical exam that took the whole day), I deserved a slow-paced dinner. This Rodeo Beef at Texas Roadhouse Grill was tasty and filling, the beef was tender. It's marinated beef strips sauteed with oregano cream reduction sauce topped with onion rings. Served with Texas rice and buttered veggies. I took my time to enjoy this meal, and lingered much longer over coffee and dessert.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Like you, they are headed to the same place and no matter what they may appear like to you, they have taken the perfect form for their journey. How strong our relationships would be if we could see and respect that we are all perfectly imperfect for our journey.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

I was also at Cassie's 1st birthday party last Saturday, and the clubhouse was filled with children. I love this girl eating her cotton candy with gusto---she's one of the children who partied with Cassie, my first apo (grandchild), my godson's firstborn.

Face-painting, cotton candy and balloons excited the young guests. A clown entertained them with games and magic. The party was filled with children's laughter, moms and dads were busy taking pictures.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Icebergs is one of our favorite summer haunts. Their ice cream-based desserts and parfaits, halo-halo and fruit smoothies cool us off when the heat seems unbearable. But hey, they also serve hot dishes like these Korean Beef served on a hot plate and Chicken Cordon Bleu.

U and I purposely went to Icebergs around midnight to eat halo-halo but ended up ordering rice meals! After these, we didn't have room for dessert.:p

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but apples are imported and can be expensive. How about bananas? It's a domestic product, available in the market all-year-round and much cheaper than apples. I grew up in a place surrounded by banana trees [it's not a tree, though, but an herb] and coconut trees, among others; and my grandmother had concocted more banana dishes than you can imagine! All parts of a banana tree are edible and extremely useful---leaves, flowers, heart, fruit, trunk, bark. Admittedly, I took bananas for granted until I was an adult, living in the city and have to buy bananas by the kilo.

The humble banana, I discovered, is a wonder fruit. Bananas consist mainly of sugar and fiber, which make them an ideal source of energy. No wonder it's a staple in the diets of athletes. And as a trying-hard jogger, I eat a banana before a run, or when I skipped a meal. My mother has high blood pressure and high cholesterol level, and aside from prescribed meds, the cardiologist recommends a diet with Saba banana daily for its rich potassium content that can reduce the incidence of a stroke.

Here are the health benefits of bananas:

Anemia - bananas are relatively high in iron, which helps the body's hemoglobin function. Regular consumption of bananas and oranges in children from ages 0 to 2 may reduce the risk of childhood leukemia (American Journal of Epidemiology, 2004).

Heartburn - bananas have a natural antacid effect on the body. Studies show that bananas can protect our stomachs against aspirin-induced gastritis. And if you've been out partying and drinking alcohol, the best way in preventing a hangover is lots of water and a banana or two before going to bed.

Morning sickness - snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood-sugar levels up and avoid
morning sickness. And if you didn't follow #2, have a banana shake when you woke up with a hangover.

Ulcers - this is the only fruit that can be eaten without distress. It also helps reduce acidity and reduces irritation. Bananas stimulate the cells
on the internal stomach lining to produce a thicker mucus (which protects against acid).
Additionally, bananas contain protease inhibitors that help eliminate bacteria in
the stomach that have been pinpointed as a primary cause of ulcers.

Blood pressure - bananas are extremely high in potassium, and very low in sodium---a perfect combination in preventing high blood pressure. The US FDA has even allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.

Healthy kidney - research published in the International Journal of Cancer has shown that daily consumption of whole fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, is highly protective to kidney health. Bananas and many root vegetables contain high amounts of antioxidants phenolic compounds, necessary for effective detoxification of potential carcinogens.

Healthy bones - bananas are an exceptionally rich source of fructooligosaccharide, a compound that nourishes probiotic (friendly) bacteria in the colon. This probiotic bacteria protects us from unhealthy bacterial infections and increases our body's ability to absorb calcium.

Eyesight protection - research published in the Archives of Ophthalmology has proven that adults
consuming at least 3 servings of bananas a day have a reduced risk (by 36%) of developing
age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older
adults, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.

Constipation and Diarrhea - due to banana's fiber content, it helps restore a normal bowel function. In
addition, diarrhea usually depletes your body of important electrolytes (of which the
most important is potassium). Bananas also contain pectin, a soluble fiber (hydrocolloid) that can help normalize movement through the digestive tract.

Stress relief and Depression - banana's high potassium content helps normalize the hearthbeat and regulate the body’s water balance. During periods of high stress, our body’s potassium levels tend to be rapidly depleted---eating bananas is a healthy way to rebalance them without taking drugs. Bananas also contain tryptophan, an aminoacid that converts into serotonin, leading
to improved mood. So when you're sad or stressed, feel better by eating a banana instead of going shopping, smoking or comfort-eating.

Nerves - bananas are high in Vitamin B that have been shown to improve nerve function.

Smoking - bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. They contain vitamins B6 and
B12, as well as potassium and magnesium: these substances help the body
recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Mosquito bites - many people report that rubbing the inside of a banana peel on a mosquito bite is
very effective in reducing itching and swelling.

And when you're bored with ripe bananas, try banana chips. I chipped a canine tooth a few weeks ago while munching on these banana chips [but it was serendipity---a visit to the dentist has been long overdue, anyway], so be careful. I love munching on banana chips while watching TV---excellent jaw exercise.:p

How about some Banana Turon for an afternoon snack? I added some brown sugar and slivers of ripe langka or jackfruit to slices of ripe saba before wrapping [and deep-frying]. Banana Turon ala mode (with vanilla ice cream) is perfect on this sizzling afternoon.

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From the Man in the Moon:

“The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.” ~ Elie Wiesel